Photographer Kate Warren attended the Academy exhibition at Connersmith Gallery, which hosts a handful of artists whom the curators deem to be on the rise. The event usually is “one of the most well-attended openings on the DC arts scene,” says Warren, who uses a Nikon D600. “Revelers watched performances, viewed art and chatted over wine. I had a blast.” In one room, performance artist Mihaela Savu wore a handcrafted sculpture made of aluminum, tulle, wood and fabric. The artist spent most of the reception rooted in the same spot, creating an island within the bustling party. “Savu reached out to her assistant to quietly ask for her cellphone, briefly breaking the existential facade of her performance—a moment that nearly went unnoticed in the packed gallery,” says Warren, who was most definitely paying attention.